Ford has today announced it will use EcoBoost engine technology, as displayed at the Beijing Motor Show, in upcoming Mondeo models to be sold in China and Europe.

The Ford Mondeo EcoBoost will feature a 2.0-litre four-cylinder which, utilising the latest in direct injection and turbocharging technology, delivers class leading power and torque levels.

EcoBoost technology will be available globally in 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre four-cylinder variants by the end of the year.

Since introducing EcoBoost technology in its 3.5-litre V6 engines last year, Ford has achieved fuel economy gains of up to 10 per cent from some models.

"Customers have embraced EcoBoost technology because of its ability to deliver power and performance with uncompromised fuel economy," said Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president for global product development.

"We’re committed to bringing this technology to multiple vehicles so that more customers can take advantage of the no-compromise Ford EcoBoost combination of power, performance and fuel economy.

"Ford EcoBoost works in any gasoline engine, so adding a 4-cylinder engine to complement our V6 line-up was a logical development."

The new 2.0-litre EcoBoost engine applies many of the same technologies as found in the original V6 EcoBoost engine, including direct injection, turbocharging and variable valve timing.

Using six individual jets (in this instance), located in the fuel injector, direct injection allows fuel to be sprayed directly in to the cylinder where it immediately cools the air - just before the mixture is ignited. The result allows higher compression ratios which in turn raise power output.

By using spent exhaust gases, the small turbocharger (roughly the size of a grapefruit) forces intake air in to the engine. Exhaust gases are cooled via an air-to-air intercooler. The result is a significant increase in performance without additional engine capacity.

The 2.0-litre Ford EcoBoost engine features independently variable timing on both intake and exhaust camshafts, optimising gas flow through the combustion chamber at all engine speeds. The TiVCT (Twin independent Variable Camshaft Timing) system plays a significant role in improving engine efficiency and performance, particularly at partial loading.

The use of this technology has also improved low-end torque by exploiting a ‘scavenging’ effect. Scavenging takes advantage of pressure differences between the intake and exhaust manifolds to increase the flow of cooler, fresh air through the engine at low speeds, generating increased torque and helping the turbo to spin up more quickly. It has also reduced CO2 emissions by as much as 15 per cent.

In Mondeo, the 2.0-litre EcoBoost engine is mated exclusively to Ford's new PowerShift six-speed automatic transmission. The transmission is specifically calibrated to the engine's torque curve and features a new torque converter for improved driving feel, smoother shifts and better fuel economy.

The new 2.0-litre EcoBoost four-cylinder engine will appear in Ford Mondeo, Ford S-MAX and Ford Galaxy models by the end of this year, and in Australia's own Ford Falcon by early 2011.

Specific timing for the introduction in China of the Mondeo featuring the 2.0-litre Ford EcoBoost engine will be announced shortly.